Yisrael Beytenu to Seek Disqualification of Arab Parties and MKs

The Yisrael Beytenu party announced on Wednesday that its representatives on the Central Elections Committee will vote to disqualify the Ra'am party, the Joint List, and individual lawmakers Ofer Cassif and Sami Abu Shehadeh from running in the upcoming Knesset elections. The party stated that any "Zionist government" must prioritize the elimination of Hamas, and that parties opposing this goal have no place in the Knesset.

The announcement comes as the Central Elections Committee begins a marathon session to discuss numerous requests to disqualify parties and candidates. In addition to Yisrael Beytenu's push, three disqualification requests have been filed against Ra'am, the Likud party has asked to disqualify the Joint List and specifically MK Ofer Cassif, and the Otzma Yehudit party has requested the personal disqualification of Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh.

Under Israeli law, parties or candidates can be barred from elections if their goals, actions, or statements involve denying Israel's existence as a Jewish and democratic state, inciting racism, or supporting armed struggle by an enemy state or terror organization against Israel. The committee is expected to debate these requests on Wednesday and Thursday.